This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Medication management systems are used in healthcare environments in order to administer the inventory and distribution of medication and other medical supplies to patients. A decentralized unit dose medication dispensing system involves dispensing medications in the patient care areas. Medications are retrieved, e.g., from a medication storage and dispensing workstation, and placed in patient specific containers, transported to the patient care area and administered as prescribed. In addition to hospitals, decentralized medication management systems are used in long term care facilities, clinics, and in other medical environments. In a decentralized medication distribution system, multiple medication dispensing sites are located remotely from a centralized distribution location, such as a facility's pharmacy. The remote dispensing sites, such as a nurses' station in a hospital ward, serve as base stations from which healthcare professionals can readily access medications or other medical supplies to be administered to the patients under their care.
A medication storage and dispensing workstation can comprise a cabinet having a plurality of storage locations, such as drawers, shelves, trays, cassettes, or bins, for example. The storage locations are stocked with individual medications and/or medication doses, or other medical supplies by the pharmacy. The contents of the base stations are thoroughly inventoried and the distribution of medications and medical supplies is carefully controlled. Access to the medication storage and dispensing workstation and to the individual storage locations in the workstation, is limited and can be gained only by healthcare professionals with the appropriate credentials. A user interface that enables access to the workstation and records the inventory and distribution of the medications and medical supplies from the workstation can be computer controlled.